Jets' Gates has big day against former team

By
Nick Peruffo, The Trentonian

Sunday, October 28, 2012

EAST RUTHERFORD — It was a strange day to be Clyde Gates.

Despite the Jets’ embarrassing 30-9 loss to the Miami Dolphins, the receiver had the best game of his NFL career, catching eight balls for 82 yards. Coming into the game, the second-year man from Abilene Christian had managed just four catches for 56 yards in 19 career games.

What made the afternoon interesting was that Gates, as a member of the Dolphins, had been one of the major storylines on this year’s edition of HBO’s Hard Knocks. Miami cut Gates after Dolphins coach Joe Philbin, in a particularly memorable scene, questioned “whether he’s a football player or not.”

Sunday, Gates looked like one of the only Jets who were.

If there were any lingering sore feelings toward Philbin or the ’Fins, however, Gates didn’t share them after the game.

“I wasn’t trying to make a statement today, I was just trying to go out and win the game and play my role,” Gates said. “I have a specific role and I try to go out and play it. I wasn’t trying to be superhuman because it was the Dolphins and they cut me. I was just trying to play my game.”

In addition to his impact in the passing game, Gates also made a big contribution on special teams after regular kickoff return man Joe McKnight left the game after re-aggravating a lingering ankle injury. Gates took back two returns for 63 yards, including one 47-yard effort.

“Those guys blocked real well up front, so I just tried to do my part and hit the hole hard,” he said. “They held their blocks and I tried to make a play.”

Gates signed with the Jets before Week One against Buffalo, but had played sparingly. There was some speculation that he was a candidate to be cut, but the Jets instead parted ways with Jason Hill, who caught a touchdown pass in the team’s 35-9 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Unfortunately, Gates didn’t pick a great game for enjoying that type of individual success. The loss — perhaps the Jets’ worst of the season — had the whole locker room in a shocked silence after the game.

Gates was no exception.“It isn’t about me,” he said, shaking his head. “We lost the game.”

Gates also said he didn’t know if his breakout game would lead to a bigger roll in the offense, but that he’d be ready to accept the challenge if it did.

“Whatever my role is, I’m going to roll with it and try to make the best of it.”